Device and system for orienting core samples

ABSTRACT

A device for orienting core samples relative to the position thereof with respect to the subsoil before being extracted is intended to remain coupled during operation in a core bit, that is, in the bit used to drill and extract the core sample from the subsoil. The proposed device includes a tubular body couplable to an inner tube and/or to a head assembly of a core bit, detector is arranged in the tubular body configured to detect the orientation of the inner tube and/or of a core sample provided in said inner tube, and an electronic control unit arranged in the tubular body configured to receive and process data from the detector relating to the orientation of the inner tube and/or the core sample provided in the inner tube, and configured to wirelessly transmit the data.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 to Spanish Utility Model U202131925 filed 29 Sep. 2021, which is pending and is which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the orientation of core samples recovered in geological and mining exploration. More particularly, the invention relates to a core sample orientation system for determining the orientation of any geological structure present in core samples extracted from drilling relative to the underground environment from which said core samples have been obtained.

STATE OF THE ART

One of the main purposes of mineral and geotechnical exploration is the acquisition of geological information, which can be obtained from the extraction of core samples. The main information parameters to obtain includes the orientation of any geological structure present in the extracted rock core. Depending on the objective of the project, mining or geotechnical, it moves forward with the interpretation of the data obtained.

There are mineral deposits that have a structural control associated with economically exploitable areas of interest. Other projects, focussed on infrastructure, may require structural information to complement the characterisation of the rock mass and make safe designs for the works in progress.

In this sense, various solutions have been provided in the state of the art to determine the characteristics of the geological structure of the soil through the orientation of the core samples obtained during exploration. One of these solutions is reflected in patent application US2012037421A1 which discloses a core sample orientation system comprising a first portion in the form of a downhole unit adapted to be connected to a core tube of a core drill and a second portion comprising a control unit. The downhole unit is adapted for cooperation with a core tube for recording data relating to the orientation of the core tube, and the control unit is adapted to cooperate with the downhole unit to receive and process orientation data from the downhole unit and provide an indication of the orientation of a core sample within the core tube at a time prior to separation of the core sample from the underground environment from which it was obtained. The downhole unit is configured to cooperate with the control unit to establish an operative connection therebetween. More particularly, the downhole unit and the control unit are configured to provide a coupling for releasably connecting them together in a manner allowing selective rotation therebetween. The coupling comprises a combination of magnetic coupling and mechanical coupling.

The disadvantages of the aforementioned patent application are that it is necessary to open the core tube to couple the second portion in which the control unit is located in order to download the data on the orientation of the core sample. Therefore, this process requires several steps that increase the operating times and the fatigue of the operators/users.

Likewise, given the structural configuration of the core sample orientation system of the referenced patent application, it is necessary to provide a downhole unit based on the diameter of the core pipe to which it is to be coupled, that is, one downhole unit per core tube diameter. This means the system is not very flexible to adapt to the different diameters of existing pipes at the sites.

Therefore, there is a latent need to provide a device/system for orienting core samples that exceeds all the previously discussed advantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In order to respond to the need found, the present invention provides a device for orienting core samples relative to the position thereof with respect to the subsoil before being extracted, said device being intended to remain coupled during operation in a core bit, that is, in the bit used to drill and extract the core sample from the subsoil. The proposed device comprises a body or tubular body couplable to the inner tube and/or head assembly of a core bit. This tubular body is of the single piece type, being manufactured with sufficiently resistant materials to withstand the stresses of well drilling, as well as to protect the components housed therein and which will be described below.

Detection means or sensors configured to detect the orientation of the inner tube and/or of a core sample provided in said inner tube is housed inside the tubular body. In preferred embodiments, the detection means consist of a set of triaxial accelerometers arranged mutually orthogonal to each other. In this way, the device of the invention is capable of orienting the sample based on the gravity vector, carrying out the measurement of the gravitational vector. Alternatively, these sensing means may include a set of micromechanical gyroscopes arranged mutually orthogonal to each other. Even more preferably, the detection means comprise a set of triaxial accelerometers arranged mutually orthogonal to each other and a set of micromechanical gyroscopes arranged mutually orthogonal to each other. With the different configurations of the detection means it is possible to obtain the orientation of the sample based on the gravity vector, carrying out the measurement of the gravitational vector and/or with respect to the true north of the extracted core sample, particularly those that use the set of micromechanical gyroscopes.

To receive and process the data from the detection means relating to the orientation of the inner tube and/or the core sample, an electronic control unit is arranged in the tubular body, which control unit is in turn configured to wirelessly transmit said orientation data.

In particular, the electronic control unit comprises communication means configured for the wireless transmission of the orientation data by means of high-speed Bluetooth® protocol. Using high-speed Bluetooth protocol connections has the advantage that it is not necessary to remove the orientation device of the present invention from the inner tube of the core bit to obtain the orientation mark of the core sample. Therefore, the accuracy is maintained and the efficiency in collecting the core orientation data is increased. Furthermore, the fact that no piece of the device is disassembled to collect orientation data adds reliability and quality control, making the process auditable.

Moreover, to couple the device of the invention for orienting the core samples, it comprises an inner tube adapter configured to couple the tubular body to the inner tube, and also comprises a head adapter configured to couple the tubular body to the head assembly. These adapters have been designed with the idea of maintaining the same dimension for the tubular body despite the different pipe diameters, that is, it is the inner tube adapter or the head adapter that, as its name indicates, is adapted to the diameter of the pipe in question. Therefore, each of these adapters comprises one end couplable to the tubular body and another end couplable to the inner tube or head assembly. In this sense, each device can have a kit of both inner tube adapters and head adapters to use the appropriate adapter according to the diameter of the pipe.

As mentioned, the orientation device of the invention is intended to transmit the orientation data of the core sample wirelessly via high-speed Bluetooth protocol; therefore, as part of a system for orienting core samples relative to its position with respect to the subsoil before being extracted, the orientation device can be wirelessly paired by means of said high-speed Bluetooth protocol with a portable communication device, such as a Smartphone, Tablet or similar, in which the orientation data is received, the same is processed, and finally said orientation data of the extracted core sample is presented to a user.

As mentioned in previous lines, the main advantage of the present invention is that it is not necessary to disconnect the orientation device from the inner tube or the head assembly to obtain the orientation data of the core sample, which lead to decreased operation time and less fatigue on the part of users.

Another noteworthy advantage is that the use of the device for orienting core samples of the invention does not modify or reduce the capacity of the pumping equipment since it has a valve intended for, in the event that the internal valve that is equipped in the head assembly is not operable or bypassed, maintaining normal functionality of said computer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The foregoing and other advantages and features will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, which should be considered by way of illustration and not limitation, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the device for orienting core samples of the invention in communication with a portable communication device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT

In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in the form of examples to provide a thorough understanding of the relevant teachings. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present teachings can be implemented without such details.

According to a particular embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1 , the present invention provides a device (1) for orienting core samples relative to the position thereof with respect to the subsoil before being extracted, said device (1) comprising a tubular body (2), essentially cylindrical, this tubular body (2) being couplable to an inner tube (not shown) and/or to a head assembly (not shown) of a core bit (not shown). The tubular body (2) can be coupled to said elements by any known technique; however, to maintain a standard dimension of said tubular body (2) despite the different diameters of the inner pipe or head assembly, as seen in FIG. 1 , the invention provides at least one inner tube adapter (3) configured to couple the tubular body (2) to the inner tube (not shown), and comprises at least one head adapter (4) configured to couple the tubular body (2) to the head assembly (not shown). Therefore, the tubular body (2) comprises a first coupling end (21) and a second coupling end (22) for the coupling of such adapters (3) (4) respectively. For ease of coupling, the coupling ends (21) (22) are threaded ends, in the embodiment shown they are male threaded ends, for the threaded coupling of the adapters (3) (4), female threads. The person skilled in the art can see that different combinations, as well as other forms of releasable coupling, are within the scope of the invention.

Each of these adapters (3) (4) comprises one end (31) (41) that can be coupled to the tubular body (2) and another end (32) (42) that can be coupled to the inner tube or to the head assembly. In this sense, each device (1) can have a kit or series of inner tube adapters (3) and head adapters (4) to use the appropriate adapter according to the diameter of the pipe.

Furthermore, the device (1) comprises detection means (not shown) arranged in the tubular body (2), being configured to detect the orientation of the inner tube and/or of a core sample provided in said inner tube. In the preferred embodiment, the detection means consist of a set of three triaxial accelerometers arranged mutually orthogonal to each other, said set of triaxial accelerometers being configured to orient the core sample by means of measuring the gravity vector. Alternatively, these sensing means consist of a set of three gyroscopes, preferably MEMS, arranged mutually orthogonal to each other, by means of which it is possible to obtain the orientation with respect to true north of the extracted core sample.

In other embodiments, the detection means consist of a set of three triaxial accelerometers arranged mutually orthogonal to each other and a set of three micromechanical gyroscopes arranged mutually orthogonal to each other. The different configurations of the detection means make it possible to determine the orientation of the core sample as it was located in the subsoil before being extracted, where this orientation data is exported for the geological analysis of the terrain.

The device (1) comprises an electronic control unit (not shown) arranged in the tubular body (2) configured to receive and process data from the detection means relating to the orientation of the inner tube and/or the core sample provided in said inner tube, and configured to wirelessly transmit said data, preferably by means of high-speed Bluetooth protocol. Therefore, the electronic control unit comprises communication means which, among others, comprise an antenna (not shown) for high-speed Bluetooth transmission to a suitable external terminal, such as, for example, a portable communication device (8) which is configured to establish wireless communication via high-speed Bluetooth protocol with the device (1), receive the data from the latter, process such data and present the orientation data of the extracted core sample to an user. So, once the head assembly and inner tube have been removed, without disassembling any element, orientation data of the core sample can be transmitted by establishing a high-speed Bluetooth wireless connection between the device (1) and the portable communication device (8). As can be seen in FIG. 1 , the device (1) comprises a connection indicator (6) configured to indicate the establishment of the connection between the device (1) and the portable connection device (8), as well as to indicate the transmission of data between said devices by means of, for example, a steady light when the connection has been made and a flashing light when data is being transmitted.

Likewise, the tubular body (2) comprises at least one opening (5) provided for the transmission of the wireless connection signal via the communication means arranged inside said tubular body (2).

In preferred embodiments, the electronic control unit is provided with processing means configured to process the measurements made by the detection means and obtain the orientation data of the sample, the portable communication device (8) being a simple means for the user to be able to view the orientation data, or, alternatively, the raw measurements or orientation data are transmitted directly to the portable communication device (8) which would be provided with processing means and software capable of processing the data received, obtaining the orientation of the extracted core sample and presenting it to the user.

As seen in FIG. 1 , it comprises at the coupling end (22) a housing configured to receive a check valve (7), which, when activated, cuts off the flow of fluid, raising the pressure in a pressure gauge arranged on the surface, acting as an indicator of the pumping pressure.

Furthermore, the electronic control unit alternatively comprises temperature detection means, for example, a thermocouple, infrared sensor, a thermographic camera, or similar sensors, configured to measure the temperature of the bottom of the well, this data being relevant in some deposits. 

1. A device for orienting core samples relative to a position thereof with respect to the subsoil before being extracted, the device comprising: a tubular body couplable to an inner tube or to a head assembly of a core bit; a detector arranged in the tubular body for detecting the orientation of the inner tube or of a core sample provided in the inner tube, and an electronic control unit arranged in the tubular body for receiving and processing data from the detector relating to the orientation of the inner tube or the core sample provided in the inner tube, and wirelessly transmitting data.
 2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit comprises a communicator configured for the wireless transmission of data using high-speed Bluetooth protocol.
 3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the detector comprises a set of triaxial accelerometers, arranged mutually orthogonal to each other, configured to orient the core sample by measuring the gravitational vector.
 4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the detector comprises a set of micromechanical gyroscopes arranged mutually orthogonal to each other, configured to orient the core sample with respect to true north.
 5. The device according to claim 1, further comprising an inner tube adapter configured to couple the tubular body to the inner tube.
 6. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a head adapter configured to couple the tubular body to the head assembly.
 7. A system for orientating core samples relative to a position thereof with respect to the subsoil before being extracted, the system comprising: a device for orienting core samples; and a portable communication device for establishing wireless communication with the device, receiving data therefrom, processing the data and presenting the orientation data of the extracted core sample to a user; where the device comprising a tubular body for coupling to an inner tube or to a head assembly of a core bit; a detector arranged in the tubular body for detecting the orientation of the inner tube or of a core sample provided in the inner tube.
 8. The system of claim 7, wherein the communication device is configured for the wireless transmission of data using high-speed Bluetooth protocol.
 9. The system of claim 7, wherein the detector comprises a set of triaxial accelerometers, arranged mutually orthogonal to each other, configured to orient the core sample by measuring the gravitational vector.
 10. The system of claim 7, wherein the detector comprises a set of micromechanical gyroscopes arranged mutually orthogonal to each other, configured to orient the core sample with respect to true north.
 11. The system of claim 7, further comprising an inner tube adapter configured to couple the tubular body to the inner tube.
 12. The system of claim 7, further comprising a head adapter configured to couple the tubular body to the head assembly. 